Now, relaxed and sated, his eyes grew warm and for the first time he smiled at Harriet. ‘That was very interesting,’ he said softly. ‘I can tell that we’re going to have some wonderful times together.’
‘Why wouldn’t you come inside me?’ asked Harriet, rolling over to lie beside him.
He shifted away a little so that only their shoulders were touching. ‘Because I wanted it too much. I prefer to delay the ultimate pleasure for as long as possible, and there’ll be other times, won’t there Harriet?’
Lying beside him, feeling incredibly alive and energetic, Harriet made a sound that was half-pleasure and half-regret.
‘Yes, Edmund,’ she agreed. ‘There will be other times.’
‘Let me get this right,’ said Mark, leaning back in his chair. ‘The heroine of
Dark Secret
, Helena, is now happily married but starts an affair with one of her husband’s closest friends. An affair that the husband is aware of but allows to continue?’
Lewis drained his glass and wished he’d stayed at home. ‘No, that’s not right,’ he said irritably. ‘Honest to God, Mark, there are times when I
wonder how you ever manage to get a script together.’
‘It’s certainly not easy when I’m working with you,’ conceded Mark.
‘The whole point of this film is that the husband is aware of the
possibility
of an affair between Helena and his friend. Let’s be honest, she isn’t the type of young woman who’s going to be your average wife, is she?’
‘No, but since she’s madly in love with her husband I don’t think an affair’s very likely. Sure, I can understand the husband being a bit paranoid, you know – thinking every guy he meets wants her and all that – but would she really start something so soon after her wedding?’
‘I’ve no idea.’
Mark stared at him. ‘You must have, because if she doesn’t have an affair then you haven’t got a story.’
‘Right.’
‘What do you mean, “right”?’
‘I mean that if an affair doesn’t materialise then the story’s useless and we have to think of another.’
Mark had a sinking sensation in his stomach. ‘Lew, this is not a good idea.’
Lewis frowned. ‘How do you mean?’
‘You’re playing games with other people’s lives again. You were lucky with
Dark Secret
, it worked out the way you wanted it to in the end, but this time you might not be as fortunate.’
‘How do you know what I wanted last time?’
‘Believe me, Lew, if anyone knows you I do and you were better off without Rowena, but Harriet’s a very different matter. If you lose Harriet you’ll regret it for the rest of your life.’
‘If I lose Harriet it won’t be my fault,’ said Lewis through clenched teeth. ‘All I want to do is explore how people react to forbidden desires. It’s always seemed to me that by putting something out of bounds you actually create a greater need for that commodity, whether it’s sex or anything else. If someone said to our heroine: “go right ahead, have a passionate affair with your husband’s best friend, no one will get hurt, no one will mind and you’ll walk away at the end unscathed” then she probably wouldn’t bother to try. It’s the fact that it’s forbidden, that it holds the potential for disaster, that makes it so irresistible to her.’
‘And to her husband,’ said Mark dryly.
Lewis nodded. ‘Yes, and to her husband. The potential for disaster is so great that he can’t help himself. He has to test his power over that of his friend. Pathetically macho really.’
Mark cleared his throat. ‘Lew, why make this
cinéma vérité
? Why don’t you just let me draft a script and then make some alterations if you don’t like it? Most people make films that way, you know. They didn’t set up a phone-in and follow up the results when they made
Sleepless in Seattle.’
‘My films are different, that’s why they’re so successful. I’m not willing to change a winning formula.’
‘What about the other characters’ desires? Have you taken them into account?’
‘As much as I can, but again it’s something that you have to see in order to understand.’
Mark shrugged, realising nothing would make Lewis change his mind. ‘You’re the boss. So, when do I start?’
Lewis looked at his watch. ‘I imagine you could probably start now! No, seriously – I’m not sure but I’ll give you a call tomorrow and let you know for definite if the project’s on.’
‘You mean you’ll know by then?’
‘Yes,’ said Lewis, picking up their glasses and making his way to the bar for refills. ‘I’ll know for sure by the morning.’
WHEN HARRIET OPENED
her eyes the next morning she found Lewis propped up on one elbow looking down at her with an expression of great tenderness in his eyes. She remembered then that she’d been woken when he’d arrived back at Penruan, but had feigned sleep when he’d reached for her in the comfort of their double bed.
‘You always look deliriously tempting first thing in the morning!’ he teased, kissing her softly on the lips. Harriet smiled and her arms went automatically round his neck so that she could return the kiss, but with more passion. It was only when his hands began roaming over her body, cupping her breasts and straying between her thighs that she remembered the way Edmund had tormented her with such consummate skill the previous evening, and her body stiffened.
Lewis felt her reaction and very slowly he released her so that she was lying back looking up
at him, without the distraction of his touch. ‘The game’s begun then?’ he queried softly.
Harriet felt herself colouring but was unable to look away from him, or to lie. ‘Yes, the game’s begun,’ she murmured.
Lewis was shocked by the sudden naked fury that surged through him, and Harriet was equally shocked by the expression of rage in his eyes. ‘It’s what you wanted,’ she reminded him. ‘At least your film now has a beginning.’
Lewis tried to calm himself, knowing that she was right and his behaviour was ridiculous. This was why he’d gone out, leaving her behind with Edmund. This was necessary for the whole project to get off the ground, and he’d expected to feel a frisson of excitement, but at that moment all he felt was a desire to hit Edmund and then return to America, taking Harriet with him.
‘It’s not too late to stop it,’ said Harriet. ‘If you like I …’
Lewis shook his head. ‘There’s no question of stopping it. Now that you’ve chosen to begin we have to see it through, for both our sakes.’
‘That’s not true,’ said Harriet. ‘I don’t need to see it through. You’re the one who wants that, because your film needs an ending as well as a beginning.’
‘You mean you’re not interested in discovering where this will lead you?’ queried Lewis. ‘Come on, Harriet, that isn’t like you. If Edmund’s appeal is great enough to draw you into his bed then surely you want to find out if it’s great enough to keep you at his side.’
‘I’m not interested in being at his side!’ she exclaimed.
‘How sad for Edmund. I wonder if he knows it’s just his body you’re interested in,’ mused Lewis.
‘All right,’ said Harriet, sitting up in bed and letting the sheet fall away from her so that Lewis could see her bare breasts and the soft creamy skin of her shoulders and back. ‘Yes, I do want to “see this through” as you put it. I want to find out what kind of a man Edmund is, and whether my desire for him increases or decreases as I get to know him better. Does that satisfy you?’
‘At least it’s honest,’ remarked Lewis. ‘I take it last night was a success?’
‘Yes, a great success.’
Lewis grabbed hold of Harriet’s arms and pulled her on top of him, easing her down on his painfully hard erection. ‘Then I hope this doesn’t prove a disappointment,’ he said tightly, as he moved her up and down with his powerful arms.
Feeling the first flush of arousal beginning to smoulder in her belly, Harriet knew that it wouldn’t be, and a few minutes later she was lost in the familiar pleasure that Lewis could always give her. When, about ten minutes later, she gave a cry of ecstasy, Edmund, already awake on the other side of the bedroom wall, clenched his fists at his sides and tried not to think about what was happening.
At breakfast only Noella seemed cheerful. She chattered on about how she wanted to visit the
Paul Corin Magnificent Music Machines collection that was kept in the family mill beside the River Looe. ‘They’ve got a 20-foot Belgian dance hall organ!’ she exclaimed, looking through the leaflet that she’d found on the hall table.
‘I’d have thought you’d seen more than your share of organs,’ laughed Lewis.
Noella gave him a sideways glance. ‘I’m always anxious to extend my experiences, honey.’
Lewis nodded. ‘So I’ve heard. I saw young Oliver a few minutes ago when I went to fetch the mail. He looked a little tired I thought. Too much working out perhaps?’
Noella laughed. ‘He’ll soon pick up; strong young men of his age have wonderful stamina.’
Harriet looked across the kitchen table at Noella. ‘Did you really go and see him last night?’
‘Sure, and it was great. Not shocked are you?’
‘No, of course not, it’s just that you hardly know him.’
‘Hell, I don’t
know
Edmund after ten years of marriage,’ said Noella. ‘Do you honestly think you know Lewis?’
‘I suppose not.’
‘There you are then, what’s the difference?’
‘Nearly ten years,’ said Lewis with a grin.
At that moment the telephone rang and Harriet went to answer it. To her delighted surprise it was Ella calling from London, but sounding rather subdued.
‘I just got your letter, Harriet,’ she said, talking more rapidly than normal. ‘Do you really mean it,
about me coming to stay?’
‘Of course I do. Lewis would like to meet you as well.’
‘The thing is, I’ve got to quit my flat. I’m broke and right now there’s no work in sight.’
‘Then come straight away,’ Harriet urged her. She lowered her voice. ‘Quite honestly, Ella, I’d love to have a friend here. It’s all a bit complicated and if you were with us I think it would be easier.’
‘In what way, complicated? You’re on your honeymoon aren’t you?’ At the prospect of some kind of intrigue, Ella’s voice had immediately brightened.
‘Yes, and I can’t explain, but I need you here to keep my feet on the ground. I’m in serious danger of going out of control.’
‘Not you, Harriet. You’re the most balanced person I’ve ever met.’
Harriet gave a short laugh. ‘That was a long time ago, Ella. Believe me, I’ve changed. Look, when can you come down?’
‘Today if you like,’ responded Ella. ‘I’ll drive myself but I doubt if I’ll be with you until late this evening.’
‘That’ll be great!’ enthused Harriet. ‘And you can stay for the whole six weeks if you like,’ she added recklessly.
After Ella had thanked her profusely, Harriet replaced the receiver and went back into the kitchen where Noella and Lewis were deep in conversation. They drew apart when she entered, but for a moment she’d been certain that she’d
seen Lewis’s hand on the nape of Noella’s neck.
‘Who was it?’ asked Lewis.
‘Ella; she’s coming down today.’
He pulled a face. ‘She doesn’t waste any time.’
‘You’ll like her,’ Harriet assured him. ‘She’s really pretty, and an actress as well so you’ll have plenty to talk about.’
‘In my experience, actresses only like to talk about themselves. Are you coming to look at these organs that are fascinating Noella, or are you staying behind with Edmund?’
Harriet shook her head. ‘I’ll come with you two.’
Lewis hoped that his relief didn’t show in his eyes.
Once again it was Lewis who drove them through the winding narrow Cornish roads. Harriet hated driving when he was a passenger, he was always giving her instructions, and Noella flatly refused to tackle driving on the left-hand side of the road.
As they walked round the display, which Lewis found totally engrossing, the two women were left on their own to study the various organs. ‘What did you think of Edmund as a lover?’ asked Noella beneath her breath as a young couple stood next to them, studying the same instrument.
Harriet turned her head sharply to stare at the other woman. ‘What do you mean?’
‘I mean did you think he was a good lover?’
‘Ssh!’said Harriet.
‘Well, you must have an opinion and I’d like to hear it,’ said Noella, lowering her voice a little but smiling broadly.
‘Did he tell you about us?’ asked Harriet, shocked at the idea.
‘Of course not; Edmund never tells me anything,’ lied Noella. ‘I knew though. I always know when he’s started an affair; he gets this satisfied look, like a cat that’s had the cream.’
Harriet wasn’t sure whether to believe Noella or not, but to her surprise she felt a strange excitement discussing Edmund with his own wife. ‘As a matter of fact I thought he was an incredible lover,’ she said calmly.
‘Better than Lewis?’
Harriet shook her head. ‘No, not better, but different.’
Noella nodded. ‘I can imagine he would be. Edmund’s different from most men. At times he goes too far.’
‘In what way?’ asked Harriet.
‘You’ll find out – if you continue the affair that is. Oliver was incredible too,’ she added.
‘Better than Edmund?’ laughed Harriet.
‘Not better, but
very
different! Well, to tell the truth, he was more my style,’ admitted Noella. ‘The problem is that Edmund likes to make things very complicated, but I just like to get on with things. Oliver was about as basic as I’d want to get, but he was exactly what I needed last night. I might have to teach him a few refinements before the holiday’s over I suppose, although too
many and I’ll have spoilt him.’
‘So what kind of sex did you have?’ asked Harriet, unable to resist learning more.
‘The instant kind. He stood against the wall, lifted me up and took me like that, without even kissing me. Then we had a bath together and he took me from behind in the water, and finally we did it in his back garden, although the midges were a bit of a problem.’
‘I don’t think you’re telling me the truth,’ laughed Harriet.